Improved apparatus for generating illuminating-gas



H. B. MYER.

Apparatus for Generating Illuminating Gas.

No. 57,551. Patented Aug. 28,` 1866.

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Nrrn 'raras PATENT OFFICE HENRY B. MYER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR GENERATING lLLUlVllNATlNG-GAS.

Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent NO. 57,55 l dated August28, 1866.

l'o all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, HENRY B. MYER, formerly of Cleveland, in the coun tyof Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, but now of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,have inventedv new and useful Improvements in an Illuminating-GasGenerator; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full andcomplete description of the construction and operation of the saine,reference being' had to the accom panying drawings, making part of thisspecification, in which- Figure l` is a vertical section. Figs. 2, 3,'and 4 are different views of the air-pump. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectionof the pump. Fig. 6 is a top view of the same. Fig. 7 shows a transversesection ofthe pumps and perforated disk.' Figs. 8, 9, 12, and 16 aredifferent views ofthe perforated disks. Fig. l0 shows theregulating-valve. Figs. 11 and 17 are views of the perforated coils.Fig. 13 is avertical section of the generator and pumps. Figs. 14 and 15are sections of the valves leading from the pumps to the generator; andFig. lbis aview of a pump in which quicksilver is used for packing.

In the several views like letters refer to like parts.

The generator as a whole is divided into four compartments. (IndicatedatA B O D in Figs. 1 and 13.) The division A may be made ofsufiicientcapacity to contain a barrel, more or less, according to the size of theapparatus.

This forms the receptacle for the naphtha (gasoline) or light oilconsumed in the production of gas. The oil is introduced through thepipe A, Fig. 13, which is provided with a stopcock, which must be closedas soon as the oil is introduced. A glass tube, a', Fig. 13,communicates externally with the upper and lower portions of the chamberA, for the purpose of showing the quantity of oil in the chamber. Thefloor of this chamber is provided with a pipe, b, Fig. 1, which connectsthe chamber A with the chamber B, for the purpose of conveying the oilfrom the former to the latter. The iiow of the oil into the chamber B isregulated by a valve, b', consisting of the float B', situated in thedepression B. The stem b ofthe float fits accurately into the lower endof the pipe b whenever the fioat rises, thus closing the lower end ofthe pipe b and stopping the iiow of oil into the chamber B. An externalglass tube, b, Fig. 13, serves to indicate the height ofthe oil in thechamber B.

C, Fig. 17, represents a coiled perforated pipe, placed in the bottom ofthe chamber B, through which air is admitted into the oil in saidchamber from the air-pumps E, of which there' are four, all made alike,and communieating with the pipe O' through the medium of the pipe C,which leads from the air-cham` ber E-the common receptacle of the airfrom the airpumps E F. The air-pipe O divides after it leaves thechamber E', one branch of which connects with the coil O', and the otherwith the perforated double disk d, through which the valve-stein fromthe iioat B passes to the pipe b.

The air-pumps are four in number, and are placed in the position shownin Fig. (i. They consist of a cylindrical vessel, E, each having a rod,e, rising from the center, which serves as a guide to theplunger F. Theplunger consists of a hollow cylinder, F, having a diaphragm through thecenter in a horizontal plane, as seen at Fin Fig. 5. Alittle to one sidefrom the center of this diaphragm I attach a valve, f, which opensdownward, and 'is held in place or shut. by a slight spring.

A pipe, j", passes from the middle of the cylinder E through the bottominto the airchamber E. For operation, the cylinder E is filled abouthalf Afull of water, and the plunger F, by being worked up and downtherein, with the lower end dipping in the water, when the plungerrises, the air passes in through the valve f, and as the plunger isdepressed the valve j' closes and the air is forced into the chamber E',and thence through the tube C, and thence through the perforated coil Cand perforated disk d.

I give motion to the plungers of the pumps by means of a train ofwheels, G, and weights H. The weights are wound up by means of a cranklike those of a clock, and their motion regulated as hereinafter setforth.

The double disk d is perforated upon the under side only, so that allthe air that is forced into it passes downward. Just above the disk d, Iplace another perforated disk, I, (shown detached in Fig. 16,) so thatall the air that passes through the coiled pipe O or disk disretardedthereby in its upward passage, thus causing it to become fully chargedwith vapor from the oil through which vit passes, for the gasoline,(naphtha,) as it falls upon the plate I from the valve, iioWs over theplate, exposing a large surface to the air, which becomes charged, asabove stated.

J, Fig. 1, represents the floor of 'section C. This oor is gas-tight;but the chamber() communicates with the chamber B by means of a pipe, K,which terminates in the coil K', which is also perforated throughout itslength with numerous holes, through which the gas escapes into theWater-bath formed by the chamber C. A glass tube, lc, external to thechamber, serves as a means to determine the height of water in thechamber C. A perforated disk, L, Fig. 1, (shown detached in Fig. 12,)also below the surface of the water, serves to retard the gas in itsupward movement, causing it to be more thoroughly washed.

M represents the floor of the chamber A, upon which the oil rests beforeit passes into the chamber B, as hereinbefore stated; and m represents atube that conveys the gas through the oil-chamber A to the gas-holdingchamber D. The tube m extends above the floor N to the height of theWalls ofFig. 1, which is partly filled with Water, as indicated at W. Aninverted vessel, O, rests with its lower-lip dipping into the water, andrises or falls with the accumulation or diminution of the gas.

P represents a distributing-pipe, which conveys the gas to the place ofconsumption. n represents a tube, that serves as a guide to the vesselO.

Q represents a bent lever, the long arm of which rests upon the top ofthe gas-holder 0, and the short arm Q engages with a ratchety Wheel, R,connected with the train Gr, by which means the rising of the gas-holderO stops the motion of the pumps, and thereby the accumulation of gas issuspended; but when the gas-holder falls by the consumption of gas thearm Q becomes disengaged from the wheel R, the pumps resume theiraction, and' the gasholder again rises, and the movement of the pumps isarrested, as before.

The structure of the pump shown in Fig. 18

differs from those already described in no essential particular, exceptthat quicksilver is used instead of Water, and in the event of usingquicksilver an annular chamber may be formed to contain the mercury; anditis of no consequence whether the valve f is attached to the stationaryor moving part. The operation in both cases is precisely the same.

The operation of my apparatus is as follows:

Oil is put into the chamber A. It passes down through the pipe b intothe chamber B, its ilow being regulated by the float B. The pumps arenow put to work, and air is forced through the perforated coil and diskand through the oil, becoming saturated with the hydrocarpon Vapor, thusbecome illuminatinggas.

sire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The arrangement of the chambers A B C D in their relation to eachother, for the purpose specified.

. 2. In combination with the chambers A B, the pipe b and valve b',constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

3. The herein-described construction and arrangement of the pumps E F,the same bcing adapted to the use of water as a packing, as specified.

4. Such a structure of the pump as shown in Fig. 18, whereby it isadapted to the use of quicksilver as a packing, as speciiied.

5. In combination, the perforated coil C', double disk d, and perforateddisk I, arranged to operate as specified.

6. In combination with the chambers A B C, the glass-tube indicators ab'" k, as land for the obj ect set forth.

7. Operating the valve b by means of the iioat B', as and for thepurpose herein speciiied.

8. The arrangement of the pumps E F, train of Wheels G, ratchet-Wheel R,lever Q, and gas-holder O, as and for the purpose herein specified.

HENRY B. MYER.

Witnesses:

W. H. BURRIDGE, I. HOLMES.

What I claim as my improvement, and de-V

